There’s a kinder, gentler Christmas Celebration at Pioneer Village
Dennis Knox, dressed as Father Christmas, hands a sucker to Sophia Bradford, 4, of Provo, during the Pioneer Christmas Celebration on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Pioneer Village.
Gaye Lee Paige, of Provo, holds her grandson Connor Richins, 1, of Orem, as they sing carols with other visitors during the Pioneer Christmas Celebration on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Pioneer Village. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Mike Neilson, of Provo, walks past the mercantile store during the Pioneer Christmas Celebration on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Pioneer Village. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Mikeal Bradford, 6, of Provo, judges his height by a wooden pioneer gun held by Mike Neilson, of Provo, during the Pioneer Christmas Celebration on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Pioneer Village. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Sophia Bradford, 4, of Provo, warms her hands by the fire with her mother Andrea, center, during the Pioneer Christmas Celebration on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Pioneer Village. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
The Christmas season can often seem a bit too frantic, but there is one place in Utah County to celebrate the holiday at a slower pace.
The Pioneer Village in Provo is holding its annual Pioneer Christmas Celebration this weekend, with a final event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday. Surrounded by the thrum of downtown Provo, the village is a refuge as visitors step back in time to the 1870s.
“It’s an event that has value to the community, as it lets them know what it was like then. For young people, it’s really an eye-opener,” said Dave Olpin, a volunteer with the village.
The event features actors dressed in period costumes, historic family-friendly activities and games, carolers, visits from Father Christmas, and family dancing to live fiddler music. Visitors find their way around the village with the aid of oil lamps, lanterns and an open fire.
“It’s a neat place to relax and reflect a little bit about our heritage and early Christmases in the Provo area,” said Steve Nelson, mayor of the village.
Though selfies are welcomed, Nelson said many visitors enjoy putting away their electronics and taking part in the pioneer games — especially children.
“It’s an opportunity for kids to be engaged in an activity that might have occurred in the 1860s or ’70s. The kids get a kick out of those early pioneer games,” Nelson said.
The “Victorian Christmas Celebration at Pioneer Village will run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights.
The Provo Pioneer Village is located on the corner of 500 West and 600 North in Provo.
The event is free, but a contribution of $2 per person or $10 per family is encouraged. Parking is available adjacent to the south side of the village.
